Journal lubricator



April 7, 1942. J. J. HENNl-:ssY

l JOURNAL LUBRICATOR Filed April 18, 1940 2' Sheets-Sheet l e 72 4 WW/ w3 www Jn Ven or- JAMEs J. HfrNNz-:ssy`

Patented pr. 7, 1942 Y 'i I UNITED STATES eATENT OFFICE JOURNALLUBRICATOR .lames J. Hennessy, New York, N. Y.

Application April 1S, 1940, Serial No.' 330,241

12 Claims.

Further objects of the present invention are to provide for sufcientsupply of oil under all conditions and to effect va thoroughdistribution of oil to the entire journal surface at all times.

These and other detailed objects of the invention, which will beapparent from the following f description, are attained by thestructures illustrated in the drawings in which- Figure 1 is in part atop View of the lubricator arranged for a locomotive driver journal andin part a horizontal section through the pump mechanism, the journalbeing omitted.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the lubricator takenon the line 2-2 of Figure 1, a portion of the journal being shown.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section taken "f on the line 3-3 ofFigure 2.

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal section showing a modified form ofthe structure.

Figure 5 is a Vertical transverse section taken approximately on theline 5-5 of Figure 4.

In Figures l to 3 the axle journal is indicated at I and the hub of thedriver "is shown at 2.

The lubricator is applied to the lower portion of the journal behind thehub and includes a rectangular tank or reservoir 3 and a cellar eX-tending therefrom longitudinally of the journal and havingupstanding'side walls 4a, which project a substantial distance above thelevel of the rbottom of the journal, and having front and rear L pliedfrom the pumping device and applied to the lower face of the journal.

A band 9 isfastened on the journal outside of cellar 4 by a bolt Il) andcarries lone or more knobs II.

When the vehicle is .moving and as journal I rotates, knobs II come intocontact with star wheels I2 attached to shafts I3 journaled in reservoir3. A spring actuated Contact piece I4, below eccentric cam I5, on shaftI3, within housing 16., contacts with a squared portion II of the shaft,and yieldingly resists reversal of said shaft.

Eccentric cams I5 on shafts I3 operate pump rods I8 and I9 as starwheels I2 are revolved. Pump rods I8 and I9 are positioned to contactoverlapping pump operating levers 2B and 2l fulcrumed at 23 and 22respectively. Levers 20 and 2I contact with the outer ends of pump4pistons 24 and 25, respectively.

Plungers 24 and 25 are engaged by compression springs 26 which thrustthe plungers outwardlyv whenever latter are released from inward thrustby levers 253 and 2l. The outward movement of plungers 24 and 25 drawslubricant in the cellar into pump chambers 27 through `thecorrespondinginlets 28 and 29 iitted with ballchecks. .The yoperating rods I8 and I9include separately formed parts, ISa and ISa, respectively, in thereservoir. The main portion of each rod slides in a bearing 3U on thecellar and the part Ita is surrounded by a spring 3| which thrusts thepart I8a against the inner end of a housing 32 in the reservoir. Becauseof this construction reservoir 3 and the cellar may be ldisassembledwithout undulj7 interfering with the pump `mechvanism.

Operating rods IS and yI9 engage levers 2@ and 2I both of which extendacross the `pump body and are Ypivoted at the far end. These leversoverlap and each is offset at the fulcrum ofv the other to facilitateinward'movemen't.

Springs 3l thrust operating rods IBa and ISa K outwardly whenever theend of the rods are released by the rotation of eccentric cams i5.

When rod I8 is forced inwardly by rotatingl Conduit 36 leads to thedistributor pan 35 applied to the under part of the journal.

In journal lubricators of this general type, as used previously, thereciprocation of the journal in the box actuated the pump, and as thespeeds of railway trains have been increased, such reciprocation hasbeen stepped up to an extent that the lubricators have delivered anexcessive quantity of oil, and there have been various suggestions foravoiding this result. For example, means have been provided for limitingthe extent of the reciprocal movement of the pump piston. Also it hasbeen suggested to by-pass some of the pumped lubricant back to thecellar before it reaches the journal. Also it has been suggested to usewipers for removing surplus oil after it has been delivered to thejournal. Such a wiper is indicated in Figures 1 and 2 at the forward endof the journal and comprises a pair of arcuate wings 39 and 49 pivotedtogether through their overlapping lugs 4l. On their upper surfaces arediagonal ribs 42 which engage the journal to scrape surplus lubricanttherefrom and drain it back into the interior of cellar 4. Separatespring pressed plungers 43 thrust wings 39 and 40 upwardly into contactwith journal l. This wiper is described and claimed in my Patent No.2,191,468, issued February 27, 1940.

However, with the pump device described above, the action of the pumpdepends upon the revolution of the journal and not upon itsreciprocation axially, and the action of the pump is readily controlledby reducing or increasing the number of knobs I I on band 9.

This device is especially suitable for handling extremely heavylubricant due to the large leverage on the pump plungers and the lengthof time permitted for the plunger to return to its outer position afterbeing forced inwardly.

Figures 4 and 5 show a modiiied form of the structure. Positive drivingmeans for the operating rods is supplied by the rotation of journal 44through a band 45 which is provided with one or more cams 46 each havinga rise 41 adapted to Contact with the outer end of the operating x rod,comprising two parts 48 and 48a, upon each revolution of journal 44.Band 45 is securely fastened on journal 44 by a bolt 49 and nut 59.Compression spring on rod part 48a thrusts the rod outwardly wheneverthe latter vis released from the extended cam surface 41 by the rotationof journal 44.

The general principle of operation of this modication is the same asthat of the structure previously described and the essential features ofthe latter are retained. In both structures the operating rod is in twoseparate parts to facilitate the assembly of the units.

Obviously, various other modifications in the structure may be madewithout departing from the spirit of the invention, and the exclusiveuse of all such modifications as come within the scope of the claims iscontemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a railway axle journal lubricator having alubricant cellar and a reservoir adjacent thereto and communicatingtherewith, a pump including a piston in said cellar, driving mechanismin said reservoir arranged for actuation by relative movement of thejournal to which the lubricator is applied, and a pump operating rodbetween said mechanism and piston, said rod comprising two separateparts, one part being mounted in said cellar and the other part `beingmounted in said reservoir.

2. In combination with a railway axle journal lubricator having alubricant cellar and a reservoir adjacent thereto and communicatingtherewith, a pump including a piston in said cellar, driving mechanismin said reservoir arranged for actuation by relative movement of thejournal to which the lubricator is applied, individual mounting elementsin said reservoir and cellar, respectively, and a two part operating rodbetween said mechanism and said pump piston, each part being slidablymounted on one of said elements.

3. In combination with a lubricator pump of the class described, a pumpoperating mechanism including a pair of substantially parallel cylindersand pistons and individual overlapping levers for said pistons withspaced fulcrums and each lever being oiset between its ends about thefulcrum of the other lever.

4. In combination with a railway journal and a lubricator for saidjournal including spaced cylinders, pistons therein, operating mechanismfor said pistons comprising a pair of overlapping levers each fulcrumedat one of its ends, each lever being oiset at the fulcrum of the otherlever, and means actuated by said journal for oscillating said levers.

5. In a railway journal lubricator, a cellar, a pump in said cellarhaving two oil receiving chambers, pistons within the chambers, anddriving mechanism for operating said pistons, said mechanism includingindividual pump levers positioned one above the other, each leverextending across said cellar and being fulcrumed at one end, thefulcrumed end of one lever being adjacent the power receiving end of theother lever and each lever being oifset about the fulcrum of the otherlever, and means operated by a device on the journal for actuating bothof said levers successively.

6. In actuating mechanism for an axle journal lubricator pump, anelement to be secured to the periphery of the axle and to rotatetherewith, a star wheel to underlie the journal and to be engaged bysaid element as it rotates with the journal and an operative connectionbetween said star wheel and the pump for driving the latter.

'7. In combination, a railway axle journal, a lubricant cellar beneaththe same, a pump and a conduit leading from said cellar to said pump andto said journal, an element secured to the periphery of the journal androtatable therewith, a star wheel beneath the journal exteriorly of saidcellar and engageable by said element, and pump actuating means withinsaid cellar and driven by said star wheel.

8. In a journal lubricator, a lubricant reservoir, a pump supplied fromsaid reservoir and arranged to feed lubricant to the journal, a pumpoperating cam in said reservoir, a cam shaft extending through the topof said reservoir, a star wheel outside of said reservoir and mounted onsaid shaft, and a knob for attachment to the journal in position toengage said star wheel as the journal rotates.

9. In a journal lubricator, a pump including a piston and a springthrusting said piston in one direction, a cam for moving said piston inthe opposite direction, a shaft on which said cam is mounted, a starwheel on said shaft, an element for attachment to the journal androtatable therewith to engage said star wheel and thereby operate saidcam, and a device yieldingly resisting reversal of the direction ofrotation of said shaft by said star wheel and thereby prevent themovement of said cam in the Wrong direction by said piston spring.

10. In combination with a railway journal box, a journal lubricatordevice comprising a lubricant cellar, and pump structure resting on thebottom of said cellar and including two cylinders spaced apart and lyingon opposite sides of the center line of the cellar, pistons in suchcylinders, individual actuating devices for said pistons each includinga star Wheel, and an element for attachment to the journal to which thedevice is applied and arranged to engage said star wheels successively.Y

11. In a journal lubricator, a reservoir, a cellar in communicationtherewith, a pump in said cellar, a journal actuated cam in saidreservoir, and an operating connection between said pump and cam, saidconnection comprising separate parts coacting with each other, one ofsaid parts being mounted in said reservoir and the other of said partsbeing mounted in said cellar.

12. In combination with a lubricant cellar and a pump device for arailway axle journal in the cellar, a pair of horizontally disposed pumpcylinders, with pistons, arranged in parallel and spaced relation toeach other, horizontally disposed oper` ating levers for said pistons,each having a vertical fulcrum at one side of the device near one ofsaid cylinders and pistons and each extending across the devicetransversely of the cylinders and pistons, beyond the other cylinder andpiston, said levers being arranged one above the other and each beingoffset about the fulcrum of the other lever.

JAMES J. HENNESSY.

